Carl's Jr.'s next sexy star... a divinely half-naked man?

With the threat of a grocery strike in Southern California now over, I can move on to the most important news on my beat: burgers.

We love a good burger, and this week two big brands are adding or tweaking their famous burgers for you.

First up, Carl's Jr.

The Southern California burger chain, along with its sister restaurant Hardee's, is adding a divinely inspired burger to its menu.

The Six Dollar Steakhouse burger features an Angus beef patty topped with A.1. steak sauce, crumbled blue cheese, Swiss cheese and crispy onion strings.¬ The new burger, ¬ which comes with its usual saucy and sexy ad campaign, was created by the equally beefy Hamblor --¬ Carl's Jr.'s mythical god of hamburgers.

Yes, you read that right. The star of Carl's Jr.'s next ad campaign is a half-naked man, not woman.

In a 30-second ad spot (above), Hamblor assembles his burger in a mythical kingdom that includes statues made of blue cheese, busty corset-wearing goddesses¬ munching¬ on burgers and a St. Bernard carrying steak sauce on a neck barrel.

The thicker burgers, named after the company's founder, contain crinkle-cut pickles, two cheese slices, red onions and thick-sliced tomatoes on a buttered bun. ¬ Patty size choices: ¬ 1/4-pound, half-pound, and 3/4-pound. (Prices range from $3.39 to $4.99 at my local Wendy's.)

Tweaking it signature burger is a risky but necessary move for the nation's third-largest burger chain, which has struggled with sales over the years.

Chain spokesman Denny Lynch outlines the key changes Wendy‚Äôs made to its old burger compared to the new Hot 'N Juicy:

The fresh, ¬ not frozen North American beef is the same. However, "the beef patty is thicker so it will be juicier, and we form the patty a little looser, so it may crumble in your mouth," Lynch said. "We tested dozens of patty shapes as well ‚Äď settling on a natural square -- not a rigid square like before."

More cheese. The new burgers come with two cheese slices, instead of one. ¬ "We put one on the crown, then (we add) the patty, then a second one. The toasted bun and hotter beef make the cheese melt throughout, consistently. It took a lot of time to get this one right --- people don‚Äôt like a cheeseburger with unmelted cheese."

Red onions replaced white onions and real mayonnaise replaced reduced fat mayo. (That latter seems like a no-brainer. Why in the world were they using reduced fat mayo?)

The new bun was reformulated for toasting. "We butter and toast the bun which add flavor, texture and heat to the sandwich."

So what didn't change? The hand torn lettuce and tomato slices are the same. "We looked at leaf, but consumers said they liked the ‚Äúcrunch‚ÄĚ of iceberg."

In a¬ website video, Wendy's executives boast of the chain's fresh, never-frozen patties made by real cooks and¬ grill masters. ¬ They also mock the inferiority of rivals, implying that others use fillers and additives in their patties.

"Some of our competitors will hold their beef in drawers. I hold my socks in drawers," said Gerard Lewis, senior vice president of culinary development.

I stopped by my local Wendy's on Tuesday to give the new burger a try.

Pet peeve No. 1: Why do fast-food restaurants promote new products by saying it now includes "ripe" tomatoes? Does that mean the old burger contained unfresh, unripe tomatoes?

Just sayin'.

Moving on: ¬ I liked the burger, but I didn't notice much difference between the thicker patty and the old one. ¬ The crinkle-cut pickles gave the overall burger a slightly sweet taste and added crunch. The buttered bun and red onion circles were definitely a highlight, giving the entire burger a bit of a gourmet flair. Thankfully, the reformulated toasted bun didn't fall apart.

But the juicy beef flavor didn't come across as the patty was layered with way too much¬ mayonnaise¬ and ketchup. By the way, if you want mustard, you have to request it.

Another ding: Wendy's said the new cheeseburgers would come placed in a customized half-box for a special touch. ¬ I got my burger and fries tossed in a bag.

Oh, well.

Good solid effort, Wendy's. ¬ I'd go back and get another one. But next time, I'll ask the cooks to go light on the sauces.

Today, I'll say a prayer and go try Hamblor's godly burger.

Tell us: Is Ohio-based Wendy's finally developing a sassy attitude in order to compete? What do you think of their new burgers?

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.